Category Archives: money laundering

11th District Assembly Candidate Vin Gopal, issued the an email (printed below) to friends and supporters this morning denouncing the ugly and unsubstantiated claims of his Republican opponent Mary Pat Angelini.

The Angelini campaign sent out an inflammatory and inaccurate campaign flyer to constituents after Gopal won the endorsement of the Asbury Park Press. The questionable campaign mailer insinuated that Gopal had been involved in money laundering and other corrupt activities while earning college credits, working as an intern, for former Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas, who pleaded guilty to and was convicted of numerous campaign fraud charges and lying to federal investigators.

To claim that a 20 year old college student, working on a campaign as an intern to earn credits towards graduation, is somehow tainted and corrupt himself is a new low and shows how desperate some are to hold onto power.

In this campaign I’ve only talked about real issues, not personal attacks. When I talk to voters, have interviews with members of the press, send out material I talk about my ideas for New Jersey and what’s happened to us these last four years. What happened is the largest property tax increase since 2007, as high as 23.5% in some parts of the state. What happened is an unemployment rate that exceeds Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. What happened is schools forced to end arts and foreign language programs while charging fees for extracurricular activities.

But my opponents are running an ugly campaign. They’re accusing me of being a party boss, of laundering money, of deep political corruption…for a job I had for college credit when I was 20 years old. That’s a desperate tactic—the incumbents are spending tens of thousands of special interest dollars trying to ruin me because they know that Monmouth County voters are ready for a real change.

I’m not upset that they’re attacking me. They wouldn’t be doing it if they weren’t worried. But this proves what I’ve been saying all along. My opponents are a part of a Trenton system more committed to reelection than protecting middle class families. They’re willing to poison the dialogue and destroy reputations if that means that they can hold on to their cushy jobs, funded by lobbyists and PACs who are interested only in their bottom line.

We need new people in Trenton. People like my running mates and I who are committed to incentivizing small businesses and restoring property tax rebates. Our campaign isn’t built on special interests, so we have no favors to pay back. We’re committed to the middle class because we are a part of it. That’s why our priorities will never change—because the policies that hurt regular people will injure us as well.

Can you help me push back against my opponents’ slander? Can you forward this email to every voter you know? We have just seven day left to get the word out that for the first time in a long time Monmouth County voters have the opportunity choose leaders committed to them.

With your help, we can make a real change for the better on November 8th.

Sincerely,

Vin Gopal

PS The incumbents are going to desperate lengths to destroy my reputation and our hope for change in Monmouth. We have to get the word out to stop them. Will you help me by forwarding this email to your friends, telling people about this election and signing up to volunteer?